Houston Family Arts Center presents 'Our Town'

The Houston Family Arts Center, located at 10760 Grant Road, will be presenting “Our Town” by Thornton Wilder opening Aug. 25 and running weekends through Sept. 9 on the HFAC Garza Main Stage.

“Our Town” is a Pulitzer Prize-winning play about love, death and the sorrow of being human. It is set in a fictional small town in early 20th-century America and focuses on human experience and social class.

The production will be directed by HFAC Assistant Artistic Director Lisa Garza.

“Wilder had an innate understanding of what's important in people's lives," Garza said in the press release. "We spend too much time on things which ultimately don't matter, often at the expense of neglecting those around us. It's only when we look back, from the vantage point of years, that we get a sense of the hurried pace with which we structure our lives. I strongly believe that Wilder's message is even more relevant today than it was when 'Our Town' premiered in 1937.”

The story follows the romance between George Gibbs, played by Matt Elliott, and Emily Webb, played by Sarah McQueen. The stage manager, played by Patrick Barton, speaks directly to the audience as he narrates the events. Other cast members include Dr. and Mrs. Gibbs, played by L.D. Green and Whitney Zangarine, and Mr. and Mrs. Webb, played by Jeffery Green and Rita Hughes.

Ensemble cast members include Mike Roberts as Simon Stimson, the town choir master; Mario Garza as Howie Newsome, the town's milkman; Reid Self as the Joe Stoddard, the undertaker, and Constable Warren; Michel Brown Stevens as the town gossip Mrs. Soames; Matt Hudson as Professor Willard; Doug Pfaffenberger as Emily’s cousin Sam Craig; Peyton Crenshaw as George’s younger sister Rebecca Gibbs; Samuel Irving as Emily’s younger brother Wally Webb; Shaun Furter as Joe Crowell; and Gia Ochsenbein as Joe’s younger brother Si Crowell. Sophia Slabic, Estus Stephens, Desi Stephens and Emily Morris play neighbors in the town.

The lighting designer for the show is John Wind, sound designer is Jean Furter and the music director is Teri Clark. The show is assistant directed by Katie Harper and produced by Tracy Clayton.

“Our Town” will be showing at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, Aug. 17-18, 24-25, Aug. 31, Sept. 1 and Sept. 7-8. Matinee shows will be at 3 p.m. on Sundays, Aug. 9 and Aug. 26 and Sept. 2 and Sept. 9.

To purchase tickets or for more information, visit houstonfac.com or call the HFAC Box Office at 281-685-6374 or the HFAC Actors Academy at 281-285-2623.